It’s the great quandary padel faces. It may have broken through, or be on the verge of breaking through, as the must-play ‘it’ sport of our times, but when it comes to watching padel, on TV or in the stadium, it’s a completely different situation. Padel hasn’t – yet, at least – broken through as a must-watch entertainment spectacle.
Millions play it, but far fewer follow it as dedicated fans. And so, enter the Hexagon Cup—a tournament happening in Madrid this week that isn’t just about competition; it’s about celebrity, franchise team spirit, storytelling, branding, and giving birth to a new era of padel entertainment.
Formula 1 had Drive to Survive, tennis gained fresh energy with Break Point, Golf gave it a go with Full Swing—could the Alpine Hexagon Cup 2025 be the “aha!” moment that transforms padel from a game people play into a sport the world watches? And, with rumors swirling around padel’s Olympic and potential admission at Brisbane 2032, doesn’t padel need that moment now.
The biggest challenge for emerging sports like padel isn’t participation—it’s building a global audience. Millions play padel, but turning those casual players into passionate fans who follow players, teams, and rivalries is the next step—and not an easy step to conquer. While padel already boasts a passionate following—particularly in Spain and Latin America—the sport’s next growth wave lies beyond these traditional strongholds. The New Padel World, as we so often term it, is emerging: a fresh audience in North America, the Middle East, and parts of Asia where the sport fits snugly into the continent’s appetite for racket sports.. And it is the Hexagon Cup that has more of an opportunity than most the to introduce these fans to the sport in a way that feels modern, engaging, and built for global entertainment.
Turning Padel from a Game People Play into a Sport the World Watches
At its core, padel is a fun sport to watch. With its speed, action, cat and mouse-style back-and-forth rallies, it’s easy to get hooked while watching on the sidelines. Unlike traditional racket sports, padel keeps the ball in play longer, creating thrilling exchanges that demand quick reflexes, smart positioning, and explosive shot-making.
Yey despite its natural entertainment value, padel has yet to establish itself as a must-watch sport on a global scale. And this is because the challenge lies in not the game itself—but how it’s packaged, marketed, and presented to the world.
Growing a sport faces many of the same challenges as building a platform or marketplace. Both require two sides to be engaged—buyers and sellers, players and spectators, clubs and investors. A marketplace without sellers won’t attract buyers, and a sport without a dedicated audience won’t attract sponsors, media, and investment.
For padel to truly scale as an international sport that is as comfortable in its own skin in Marbella as it is in Massachusetts, it needs a committed, engaged audience. But to get there, significant investments in media, infrastructure, and professional organizations are essential. Without these, padel remains a game people play rather than a sport the world watches.
Enter the Hexagon Cup
More than just another tournament, the Hexagon Cup;s second edition has proven it is an entertainment-first approach to padel, combining elite competition with storytelling, digital engagement, and a fan experience designed for modern sports consumers. In contrast to many of the traditional sports that have tried, to varying degrees of success, to force through modernized methods of youth engagement, the Hexagon Cup doesn’t have to. It is new, and padel is (to the majority of nations) seen as a new sport. The padel industry, by the fact of its very short history, can create its own narrative, without any need to paint over the traditionalist elements that might hark back from a bygone age. Padel doesn’t have that level of history. It is modern, by its very nature.
In an era where Netflix series like Drive to Survive have turned casual viewers into die-hard F1 fans, could the Hexagon Cup be the catalyst that transforms padel into a spectator sport on a global scale?
And so, in an era where Netflix series like Drive to Survive have turned casual viewers into die-hard F1 fans, could the Hexagon Cup be the catalyst that transforms padel into a spectator sport on a global scale?
The Future of Padel Entertainment: What Comes Next?
If padel wants to grow beyond its core audience, it needs to be more than just a game—it needs a compelling storyline. Without getting too “marketingy”, it needs a brand. The Hexagon Cup is laying the groundwork for this, but what’s next? How does padel take the leap from emerging sport to a full-fledged entertainment product? Here are three key ways it could happen:
A Netflix or Amazon Prime documentary series?
With high-stakes investors, a rapidly-growing sport, and unique characters, the Hexagon Cup could be the perfect subject for a docuseries. If Drive to Survive could revolutionize F1’s fanbase, then why not padel?
More Streaming & Digital-First Content?
Padel’s growth has largely come from social media exposure, not traditional TV deals. By doubling down on short-form video, behind-the-scenes content, and premium live streams, the Hexagon Cup can own the digital space before other sports catch up. And, if padel has a fault, it is that the non-Spanish speaking countries don’t yet know the top, Spanish-speaking stars. It needs to change that gulf, and fast.
Celebrity-Driven Storytelling
Footballers, tennis stars, and entrepreneurs are increasingly investing in padel (no doubt because of their love of playing padel), and their personal brands have the power to attract new audiences to the sport. We’re already seeing high-profile names making an impact—Kun Agüero’s Krü Padel by Taktika and the Rafa Nadal Academy powered by Richard Mille team are both competing in this year’s Hexagon Cup, bringing star power and global visibility to the event.
Padel’s Netflix Moment Is Coming—Who Will Lead It?
The Hexagon Cup isn’t just another tournament—the 2025 edition has proven the Hexagon powers that are doubling down on their competition as an entertainment revolution in the making. The question isn’t whether padel can become a global spectator sport—it is who will be the first to package it in a way that captures mainstream attention. With the right mix of storytelling, rivalries, and digital-first marketing, the Hexagon Cup could be the moment that turns padel from a game people play into a sport the world watches. It could be the moment that catalyzes the sport’s Netflix moment.
